The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation in Hong Kong has announced the inaugural fellowships awarded through its Program in Buddhist Studies.

The awards include fifteen dissertation fellowships with a stipend of $30,000; three postdoctoral fellowships with an annual stipend of $55,000 over two years; four collaborative research grants of up to $200,000; and one visiting professorship covering salary, insurance, relocation, housing, research, and other direct university expenses, up to $200,000. Recipients of the awards include scholars at universities in the United States, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Conceived in partnership with the American Council of Learned Societies, the program aims to expand the understanding, interpretation, and application of Buddhist philosophy in contemporary scholarship and society.

"Believing that Buddhism has a vital role to play in addressing today's challenges, we are committing substantial resources to strengthening teaching and scholarship about Buddhism in modern society at leading universities worldwide," said foundation chair Robert Y.C. Ho. "This is an important step toward realizing my family's vision of developing a Buddhist learning network to further the study of Buddhist philosophy and broaden its impact in the twenty-first century."